Location of liver lacerations resulting from deceleration injuries and a proposal for their classification

Purpose: The aim of the study was to verify during forensic autopsies the occurrence of liver lacerations resulting from deceleration traumas in the locations reported in professional literature, and also to check whether they are located near the left coronary ligament and its extension, i.e. the left triangular liver ligament. Methods: The liver injuries were assessed on the base of cases of forensic autopsies, performed at the Department of Forensic Medicine of the Medical University of Lodz from 1 of September 2011 to 15 of April 2014. In order to analyze the collected data, descriptive methods and statistical inference methods were used. Results: Three types of liver rupture turned out to be characteristic and statistically significant: 1 – on the diaphragmatic surface of the right lobe between its two sectors; 2 – within the left lobe to the right (in segment IV) or to the left (in segment III) of the falciform ligament; 3 – located near the left coronary ligament (in segment II). Conclusions: Typical location of liver lacerations after deceleration trauma, i. e. the right triangular ligament and falciform ligament, are confirmed in the analysed autopsy material. The place not previously described in the literature, which should be regarded as a characteristic location of a liver rupture after deceleration trauma is the diaphragmatic surface of segment II of the left lobe.

Spontaneous liver rupture in a pregnant woman associated with HELLP syndrome

Spontaneous liver rupture is rare and highly dangerous, life-threatening condition occurring in 1–2% of pregnant women with preeclampsia and eclampsia. There are more than 100 similar case reports in the literature. It is believed that liver rupture is caused by HELLP syndrome as one of the signs of preeclampsia. The results of surgical treatment is still unsatisfactory. Appropriate treatment strategy is absent because of rareness of this condition. It is presented case report of a woman with spontaneous liver rupture associated with HELLP syndrome. Patient underwent perihepatic tamponade, endovascular embolization of right hepatic artery followed by right-sided hemihepatectomy.

A case of multiple spontaneous hepatic ruptures and literature review

Liver rupture most commonly occurs because of a blunt abdominal trauma. We present a case of peliosis hepatis in a postpartum patient who developed hemoperitoneum due to spontaneous hepatic rupture from this rare liver condition. Physicians should be aware of this rare condition in patients with non-traumatic liver rupture and with hemoperitoneum. Peliosis hepatis is most often asymptomatic and incidentally found during autopsy. It comes to the surgeon’s attention just after the spontaneous rupture of the lesion, resulting in a massive hemoperitoneum. Peliosis hepatis should always be considered in the differential diagnosis of sudden intraperitoneal hemorrhage, especially when the cause of hepatic rupture is unknown.